Alert archive / Alabama / Flash Flood Warnings in 2003

Flash Flood Warning 10, NWS Mobile, AL

May 18, 2003Baldwin County, Alabama

NWS Mobile, AL issued this flash flood warning at May 18, 2003, 12:28 PM CDT for Baldwin County, Alabama. It was in force for 6 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
May 18, 2003, 12:28 PM CDT (17:28 UTC)
Expired
May 18, 2003, 6:30 PM CDT
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS Mobile, AL
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Baldwin County, AL

The radar

The Mobile radar (KMOB), 68 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 17:31 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Slidell Radar S, LA (KSIL), launched 12:00Z, 5.5 hours before the alert went out and 205 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Slidell Radar S, LA at 12:00Z on 2003-05-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 424 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Slidell Radar S, LA at 12:00Z on 2003-05-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 101 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
424 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-67 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
706 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
37 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
101 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
131 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.3
Supercell composite
4.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
WGUS54 KMOB 181729
FFWMOB
ALC003-182330-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
1228 PM CDT SUN MAY 18 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHERN BALDWIN COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA

* UNTIL 630 PM CDT

* AT 1100 AM CDT...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED VERY HEAVY
  RAIN FROM GATESWOOD TO MONTROSE...OR FROM 15 MILES SOUTHEAST OF BAY
  MINETTE TO 13 MILES SOUTHEAST OF DOWNTOWN MOBILE.  THE AREA OF
  HEAVY RAIN WAS NEARLY STATIONARY.

* THUNDERSTORMS WITH EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE MOVING
  SLOWLY SOUTHEASTWARD THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON ACROSS CENTRAL AND   
  SOUTHERN BALDWIN COUNTY.

RADAR INDICATES THAT BETWEEN TEN AND TWELVE INCHES OF RAIN HAS 
FALLEN ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL BALDWIN COUNTY THIS MORNING.
MORE THAN FIVE INCHES OF ADDITIONAL RAIN CAN BE EXPECTED AS THE LINE 
OF STORMS MOVES SLOWLY SOUTHWARD THIS AFTERNOON.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS FLOOD SITUATION.  THE NWS IN MOBILE WILL 
CONTINUE TO GIVE UPDATES ON ROAD CLOSURES AND OTHER FLOODING 
PROBLEMS AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE IN REAL TIME.

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING.
IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNING AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY.
RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE
PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS
SWIFTLY FLOWING WATERS OR WATERS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH BY FOOT OR BY
AUTOMOBILE. IF YOUR VEHICLE STALLS, ABANDON IT IMMEDIATELY AND SEEK
HIGHER GROUND.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER HAVE THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY
RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE.

LAT...LON 3024 8779 3050 8794 3079 8756 3068 8740
          3060 8740 3053 8746 3044 8737 3034 8745
          3027 8759
2 follow-up statements
000 
WGUS74 KMOB 181758
FFSMOB
ALC003-181945-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
1257 PM CDT SUN MAY 18 2003

...HIGHLY DANGEROUS FLASH FLOODING CONTINUES IN BALDWIN COUNTY...

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL 630 PM FOR THE 
FOLLOWING COUNTY...

IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...BALDWIN COUNTY.

AT 1255 PM CDT...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR CONTINUE TO INDICATE A LINE 
OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN ACROSS SOUTHERN BALDWIN COUNTY THAT 
WAS CREEPING EASTWARD.  THE BALDWIN COUNTY EMA REPORTED THAT COUNTY 
ROAD 39 EAST OF STAPLETON HAS A BRIDGE THAT IS WASHED 
OUT...ISOLATING 12 TO 14 HOMES AND FAMILIES.  IN ADDITION...STATE 
TROOPERS REPORTED THAT PORTIONS OF HIGHWAY 225 ARE WASHED OUT NEAR 
SPANISH FORT...AND A TRUCK WAS WASHED OFF OF THE ROAD REQUIRING THE 
RESCUE OF OCCUPANTS.  ALSO IN SPANISH FORT...WATER IS UP TO THE 
WINDOWS OF CARS IN THE BRUNOS GROCERY STORE PARKING LOT...AND 
HIGHWAY 31 WAS WASHED OUT NEAR BRUNOS AS WELL.

WATER HAS BEEN REPORTED IN AT LEAST FOURTEEN HOMES IN LAKE 
FOREST...AND THE DOLIVE RIVER WAS REPORTED TO BE AT LEAST NEAR 
BANKFULL.

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS WATER COVERED ROADWAYS.  TURN AROUND...DONT 
DROWN.

REMEMBER...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR 
OCCURRING. RESIDENTS LIVING IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING SHOULD TAKE 
IMMEDIATE PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. IF FLASH FLOODING
IS OBSERVED...MOVE QUICKLY TO HIGHER GROUND AND NEVER DRIVE INTO AN 
AREA WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.
000 
WGUS74 KMOB 181948
FFSMOB
ALC003-182245-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
245 PM CDT SUN MAY 18 2003

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL 630 PM CDT FOR 
THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...

IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...BALDWIN COUNTY.

AT 242 PM CDT...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH 
VERY HEAVY RAIN THAT WERE CONTINUING TO DEVELOP AND MOVE ACROSS 
AREAS THAT HAVE PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL.  THESE 
STORMS WILL PRODUCE BETWEEN 1 AND 2 INCHES OF RAIN PER HOUR AS THEY 
MOVE NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

THESE STORMS ARE CAPABABLE OF PRODUCING 3 TO 5 INCHES OF ADDITIONAL 
RAIN THROUGH MID-EVENING IN ISOLATED LOCATIONS OF CENTRAL AND 
SOUTH-CENTRAL BALDWIN COUNTY.

REMEMBER...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR
OCCURRING. RESIDENTS LIVING IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING SHOULD TAKE
IMMEDIATE PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. IF FLASH FLOODING
IS OBSERVED...MOVE QUICKLY TO HIGHER GROUND AND NEVER DRIVE INTO AN
AREA WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Mobile, AL issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 17, 7:36 PM CDTSpecial Marine WarningMOB24 min
May 17, 9:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBWashington37 min
May 17, 10:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBClarke35 min
May 18, 6:38 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningMOBBaldwin, Mobile112 min
May 18, 8:25 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningMOBBaldwin, Mobile2 hr
May 18, 10:25 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningMOBBaldwin2 hr
May 18, 10:51 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningMOBMobile84 min
May 18, 12:04 PM CDTSpecial Marine WarningMOB3 hr
May 18, 2:58 PM CDTSpecial Marine WarningMOB2 hr
May 18, 4:58 PM CDTSpecial Marine WarningMOB3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Alabama, 2003Every flash flood warning in 2003

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.